Cigarette package handling apparatus



N V- 1, 196 F. HOLLINGER 3,009,301

CIGARETTE PACKAGE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR Levon EHoIlmger ATTORNEY N V- 21, 1 L. F. HOLLINGER CIGARETTEPACKAGE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i "mil50 1 I 52 h Uh. a? 360 66 I l6 I6 J A i INVENTOR Lcwon F. HollingerATTORNEY United States Patent 3,009,301 CIGARETTE PACKAGE HANDLINGAPPARATUS Lavon F. Hollinger, 2538 N. Minneapolis, Wichita, Kans. FiledFeb. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 8,810 6 Claims. (Cl. 53-131) This inventionrelates to cigarette package handling apparatus, and in a moreparticular phase to means for unpacking, stamping, conveying andrepacking of packages of cigarettes. Still more specifically, theinvention relates to means for feeding cartons of packages of cigarettesto a stamping machine and for returning the stamped packages in thecarton to the general vicinity of the end of the handling apparatus fromwhich they were originally unpacked, where they are repacked into cases.

Heretofore, the operation of a cigarette package tax stamping machinesuch as used to stamp cartons of cigarettes with. tax stamps and thelike required an operator at each end of the machine, one to feed themachine and the other to receive the stamped cartons or packages andrepack them at the other end of the machine. The use of two individualsinstead of one to operate the device resulted in excessive expense tothe distributor of the cigarettes or other such articles. Also, it wasnecessary to provide additional space at the end of the machine to beused for repacking the cartons. In some cases, conveyors were used tobring the entire case of cartons of cigarettes to the machine, and insuch cases, additional conveyors were necessary at the other end of themachine to receive the stamped cigarettes for reconveyance to theshipping platform.

In accordance with the present invention, a new handling apparatus hasbeen provided whereby a single operator can feed a cigarette package taxstamping machine and repack the cartons of stamped packages from asingle position at one end of the apparatus. Means have been provided toreceive a full or one-half case of unstamped packages of cigarettes incartons at one end of the apparatus, from which the cartons are removedand placed on a suitable track leading to the cigarette package taxstamping and metering means, and from which the stamped and sealedcartons are discharged and conveyed back to the same end of theapparatus, where the same operator can then repack the cartons in a caseor one-half case for shipping. The apparatus of the present invention isinexpensive to construct and and metering means, and are conveyed fromthe exit of the cigarette stamping and metering means back to theoriginal end of the handling apparatus for repacking.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, economichandling apparatus particularly adapted for use with cigarette taxstamping machines.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a two levelhandling apparatus whereby various objects can be fed to work machineson one level and returned therefrom on the other level.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the 3,009,301 PatentedNov. 21, 1961 invention will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the handling apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic section showing the conveyor in relation to thetable top and the power source.

FIG. 3 is a cross section view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross section view through the conveyor track.

The following is a discussion and description of a preferred specificembodiment of the new handling apparatus of the invention, such beingmade with reference to the drawings whereon the same reference numeralsare used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It isto be understood that such discussion and description is not to undulylimit the scope of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the cigarette package taxstamping and handling apparatus of the invention is shown generally at10 and includes an elongated table 12 having a generally flat top 14which is supported by a plurality of legs 16. A usual cigarette packagetax stamping and metering apparatus 16 is mounted on the top of saidtable intermediate its ends in any suitable manner. The tax stamping andmetering means 16' includes a receiving track 18 at one end there of andan exit or discharge track 20 at the other end thereof, or the tracks 18and 20 can be a part of the handling apparatus, as is the case in someof the common models. The tax stamping and metering means 16 used withthe handling apparatus of the invention can be any of the devices knownto the art, and the machine, as such, constitutes no part of thisinvention. A typical machine of the type suitable for use with theinvention is shown in US. Patent No. 2,090,919, issued August 24, 1937,to J. A. Strother et a1. and assigned to the Pitney- Bowes Postage MeterCompany. Other package tax stamping and metering mean-s can, of course,be used in connection with handling apparatus of the invention.

The tax stamping and metering means of the type used with the inventionis preferably one which receives a carton of unst-amped cigarettes fromthe receiving track 18, which conveys the carton to the means 16, whichthen opens the top of the carton, stamps each of the packages ofcigarettes therein with the tax stamp, automatically indicates on themetering device, the total number of packages stamped, closes the top ofthe cigarette carton and glues and reseals it, and then conveys thecarton of stamped packages of cigarettes to the discharge or exit track20'.

An elongated rectangular hole or opening 22 is cut through the table top14 at the end of the discharge track 20. The hole 22 is slightly widerthan the carton of cigarettes or other article being handled, and issufficiently long so that a carton of cigarettes or the like, comingfrom the discharge track 20, will move over the hole 22, until gravitypulls the end of the carton into the hole 22.

A conveyor belt pulley 2/4 is mounted on the table beneath and table top-14 and is spaced therefrom. The conveyor belt pulley 2:4 is mountedbeneath the rear portion of the hole 22 in the manner shown in FIG. 2for a reason to be explained hereinafter. A second conveyor belt pulley2 6 is mounted beneath the table top 14 and is spaced from the top ofthe table by the same distance as the conveyor belt pulley 24. Thesecond conveyor belt pulley 26 is near the opposite end of the tablefrom the conveyor belt pulley 24.

An electric motor 28, or other suitable drive means, is suitably mountedon the framework of the table, preferably beneath the second conveyorbelt pulley 26. The conveyor belt pulley 26 is rotated by the electricmotor 28 through suitable drive belts indicated at 30. One or moreintermediate pulleys 32 may be used between the electric motor 28 andthe conveyor belt pulley 26 to increase or decrease the speed ofrotation of the pulley 26. While the drive means 28 is shown mountedbeneath the pulley 26, it can, if desired, be connected so as to drivethe conveyor belt pulley 24 instead.

A channel shaped guide 34 is mounted on the table framework beneath thetop 14 and extends from the top edge of the conveyor belt pulley 26beyond the conveyor belt pulley 24. The guide 34 is open at the endadjacent the conveyor belt pulley 26 and is closed at the other end. Theguide 34 may be closed by a block shaped element 36 which is mountedwithin the channel shaped guide, or it may be closed by bending aportion of the end guide to a position between the sides of the channelshaped guide 34. The stop 36 is preferably beneath the portion of thetable top between the end of hole 22 and the adjacent end of the table.The guide 34 is positioned on the table framework so that the bottomportion of the guide is approximately at the same level as the top edgesof the conveyor belt pulleys 24 and 26. A portion of the bottom of theguide 84, directly above the conveyor belt pulley 24 and directly underthe hole 22 in the table top 14 is cut away as shown at 38, so thatguide 34 can straddle pulley 24. The guide 34 may be formed of asuitable metal, such as sheet metal, which may be easily bent into thepreferred channel shape, or it may be made of wood, plastics, or othersuitable materials. A corrugated sheet metal has been found particularlysatisfactory, since the corrugations in the sides and bottom provide aminimum amount of friction for a member moving along the guide. Theguide 34 may be supported intermediate its ends by a portion of thetable framework shown in 40. In some applications, the guide may consistof two spaced side pieces, individually mounted on each side of theconveyor belt pulleys.

A flat, endless conveyor belt 42 is rotatably mounted on and extendsbetween the conveyor belt pulleys 24 and 26 and is rotated by electricmotor 28, acting through the intermediate drive belts 30. The conveyorbelt 42 passes through the opening 38 in the bottom portion of thechannel shaped guide 34, travels through the length of the guide and outthe open end adjacent the conveyor belt 26. The conveyor belt 42 can besupported along the bottom by one or more rollers 44, which arerotatively held in brackets 46 secured to the table framework 40. Therollers 44 and the brackets 46 may be dispensed with in someapplications where the distance between the conveyor belt pulleys 24 and26 is short or the conveyor belt pulley '42 is a light beltconstruction. The conveyor belt 42 is rotated in the direction shown bythe arrows in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 illustrates the conveyor belt 42 within theguide 34. The belt 42 is preferably of such a width as to cover most ofthe bottom portion of the channel shaped guide 34.

A platform 50 is secured to one side of the table top 14 to theframework of the table. The platform 50 has a top surface 52 which ispreferably slightly lower than the top 14 of the elongated table and onwhich one-half of a case of cartons of cigarettes is placed whenoperating the device. The top 52 should be of such a height that thecartons of cigarettes can be conveniently removed from the case and fedto the track 18 and the package tax stamping and metering device 16. Theplatform 50 is preferably near the end of the table 12 opposite from thehole 22.

A shelf 60 is secured to the supporting framework below the table top14. The shelf 60 is spaced from the top 14 of the table and extendsbeyond the side of the table. Shelf 60 is preferably on the oppositeside of the table from the platform 50. The top surface of one side ofthe shelf 60 is adjacent the top of the conveyor belt pulley 26 so thatthe item being carried on the conveyor belt 42 will be delivered to theshelf 60 when the belt 42 is rotated in the direction shown by thearrows in FIG. 2. The shelf 60 can have a short side wall 62 extendingaround three sides, as shown in FIG. 1, to prevent the articles placedthereon by the rotation of the conveyor belt from being accidentallyremoved. A packing stand 64 has been provided which will hold an emptyone-half case into which the conveyed articles on the shelf 60 ispacked. Packing stand 64 is preferably inclined and is secured to anddepends from the flat surface of the shelf 60. The packing stand 64 isalso secured to the framework of the elongated table 12. A flange orshort side wall 66 may be secured to the lower portion of the inclinedsurface of the stand 64 which will aid in retaining the packing casethereon.

In operation, a one-half case of cartons of cigarettes is emptied on thetop 52 of the receiving platform 50, with the cartons in stackedrelation. An operator standing at the end of the table removes theindividual cartons of cigarettes 70 from the platform and places them onthe receiving track 18. The cartons of cigarettes 70 move along thetrack 18 into the tax stamping and metering means 16, where the top ofthe cartons are opened, and the individual packages of cigarettestherein are stamped, and the top of the cartons are reglued, closed andsealed, and they then leave the machine by the exit or discharge track20. As the cartons of cigarettes 70 leave the discharge track 20, theyfall into the elongated hole 22. The channel shaped guide 34 is directlybelow the hole 22 and the cartons of cigarettes 70 will fall within theguide 34. The guide has been cut away at 38 so that the conveyor belt 42will pass therethrough, and the cartons of cigaretes will fall on thesurface of the belt 42. Cartons 70 will be turned almost on their endswhen they fall through the hole 22 as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2.With the cartons in this position, the rotating belt 42 will be infriction engagement with the end of the carton, and will cause it torotate about its end and be turned over degrees as indicated by thecartons in dotted lines at the right side of FIG. 2. The sides of thechannel shaped guide 34 will prevent the carton 70 from falling on itssides during this rotation. The cartons 70 will then be conveyed throughthe guide 34 by the belt 42 and as the belt rotates from the pulley 26,the cartons will be deposited on the shelf 60. As the cartons areaccumulated on shelf 60, they are moved to the outside and then packedinto an empty case, which is placed on the inclined stand 64. Thecartons 70 can be packed therein either individually as they come 01fthe conveyor, or they can accumulate on the stand 60 and be packed inthe case by rows.

The rotation of the carton 70 about its end, as previously described, isan important feature of this invention. The rotation of the cartonplaces the top of the carton, which has been opened and rescaled by thetax stamping and metering means '16, next to the belt 42. The weight ofthe cigarettes in the carton 70 will press down on the top of the cartonagainst the belt 42 and aid materially in resealing the carton.Furthermore, the tops of the cartons of cigarettes will still be in thedown position when they are on the shelf 60, and they can be packed inthe empty case on the stand 64, in this position, which will putadditional weight on the top of each carton to further aid in securingthe top. While the tax stamping and metering means 16 replaces and sealsthe top of each carton, it has been found from experience that thissealing alone is often ineffective to retain the top in place. With theweight of each carton of cigarettes resting upon the just sealed top,during the conveying and packing operations, as hereinbefore described,the problem of maintaining the top sealed, which has caused thecigarette distributor so much trouble int he past, has been solved.

As will be apparent from the construction and operation hereinbeforedescribed, the handling and stamping apparatus of the present inventioncan be operated by one operator standing at one end of the table tounpack the cartons of cigarettes, feed them to the machine, and repackthe stamped cartons of cigarettes. This results in a material savings ofmanpower and money for the distributor, since the prior art devicesrequire one operator at one end of the table to feed the machine, asecond operator at the other end of the table to repack the cartons ofstamped cigarettes in a case, and in many operations requires a thirdman to take the cases, as they are emptied, from one operator to theother operator, where they are repacked. Since the profit margin oncigarettes is extremely small, the elimination of one and sometimes twomen from this operation is often the difference between a profitable andan unprofitable operation.

The table and the attached platform and shelf are shown in the drawingsas being made of wood, however, as will be apparent to those skilled inthe art, other materials, such as metals and plastics, can be used ifdesired. The platform and shelf are preferably made integral with themain table portion, however, they can be made detachable for easyshipment or storage.

While the apparatus has been described in connection with a cigarettepackage tax stamping and metering means, it will be obvious that theapparatus described may be used in connection with other products ormachines, and that the applications of the invention should not belimited to the particular use described.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, various modifications ofthe invention can be made, or followed, in the light of this descriptionand discussion, without departing from the spirit of the disclosure orthe scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette package tax stamping and handling apparatus comprising,in combination, an elongated table having a generally flat top andsupported by a plurality of legs, a cigarette package tax stamping andmetering means secured to the top of said table intermediate the endsthereof, said stamping and metering means having a receiving track atone end of the cigarette tax meter and a discharge track at the otherend of said cigarette tax meter to direct cartons of cigarettes into andout of said meter, an elongated rectangular hole in the top of saidtable near one end thereof and at the end of said discharge track ofsaid cigarette tax meter, a first conveyor belt pulley mounted on saidtable beneath said table top and spaced therefrom, said first conveyorbelt pulley being adjacent the end of said table having said elongatedhole therein and positioned beneath the portion of said elongated holeopposite from said discharge track, a second conveyor belt pulleymounted on said table beneath said table top and spaced therefrom, saidsecond conveyor belt pulley being near the other end of said table, anelectric motor mounted on said table beneath said second conveyor beltpulley, a channel shaped guide between said table top and said conveyorbelt pulleys and extending from said second conveyor belt pulley beyondsaid first conveyor belt pulley, said guide being closed at the endextending beyond said first conveyor belt pulley and open at the otherend, an opening in said guide over said first conveyor belt pulley, aflat endless conveyor belt rotatively mounted on and extending betweenboth of said conveyor belt pulleys and passing through said opening insaid guide and out the open end of said guide, said conveyor belt beingrotated around said conveyor belt pulleys and through said guide whensaid second conveyor belt pulley is rotated by said electric motoracting through said drive belt, a receiving platform on one side of saidtable near the receiving track of said cigarette tax stamping andmetering means, said platform being integral with said table, a shelfsecured to said table beneath and spaced from the top of said table,said shelf being adjacent the top of said second conveyor belt pulleyand extending from the side of said table, an inclined packing standdepending from said shelf at the side of said table, said device beingconstructed and adapted and said rectangular hole in said table top andsaid conveyor belt being positioned relatively so that a case of cartonsof cigarettes can be placed on said receiving platform and one carton ata time fed to the receiving track at one end of said cigarette meterwhereupon said cartons of cigarettes will drop through said elongatedhole in said table top onto said conveyor belt and be turned over, andwill then be conveyed through said guide to said shelf so that they canbe packed in a case on said packing stand.

2. A cigarette package tax stamping and handling apparatus comprising,in combination, a table having a generally fiat top and supported by aplurality of legs, a cigarette package tax stamping and metering meansmounted on said table, a discharge track on said table at the end ofsaid cigarette package tax stamping and metering means, a hole in thetop of said table at the end of said discharge track, a first conveyorbelt pulley secured to said table beneath said table top, a secondconveyor belt pulley secured to said table beneath said table top, aconveyor belt rotatably mounted on said conveyor belt pulleys, drivemeans rotating said conveyor belt pulleys and moving said conveyor belt,guide means beneath the hole in said top and at the sides of saidconveyor, means at the side of said table to receive a case of cartonsof cigarettes, additional means at the side of said table to receive anempty case to be filled with cartons of stamped cigarettes, saidapparatus being constructed and adapted and said hole in said table topand said conveyor belt being so positioned relative to each other that acase of cartons of cigarettes can be placed on said receiving means atone side of said table and fed to said cigarette tax stamping andmetering means therefrom, whereupon said cartons of cigarettes will exittherefrom onto said discharge track and fall through said hole onto saidconveyor belt between said guide means to be conveyed thereby to themeans of the apparatus which receives said empty case for packing saidstamping cartons of cigarettes therein.

3. A cigarette package tax stamping and handling apparatus comprising,in combination, a table, a cigarette package tax stamping and meteringmeans mounted on said table, guide means at the discharge of saidstamping and metering means to receive and guide cartons of cigarettepackages, a first conveyor belt pulley carried by said table below thedischarge of said tax stamping and metering means, a second conveyorbelt pulley carried by said table below the discharge of said taxstamping and metering means, a conveyor belt rotatably mounted on saidconveyor belt pulleys, drive means rotating said conveyor belt pulleysand moving said conveyor belt, guide means at the sides of saidconveyor, means communicating between said guide means at the dischargeof said tax stamping and metering means and said conveyor to direct acarton of cigarette packages moved by the force of gravity duringpassage from the discharge of said cigarette package tax stamping andmetering means to said conveyor, means at the inlet of said tax stampingand metering means to receive cartons of cigarette packages to bestamped, and additional means with said table near the inlet of said taxstamping and metering means to receive cartons of stamped cigarettepackages, said apparatus being constructed and adapted and said meanscommunicating between said guide means at the discharge of said taxstamping and metering means and said conveyor belt being so positionedrelative to each other that cartons of cigarette packages can be placedon said receiving means and fed to said cigarette tax stamping andmetering means therefrom, from which said cartons of cigarettes aredirected to said conveyor belt between said guide means at the sidesthereof to be conveyed thereby to said means to receive cartons ofstamped cigarette packages.

4. A cigarette package tax stamping and handling apparatus comprising,in combination, a table, a cigarette package tax stamping and meteringmeans mounted on said table, conveyor means carried by said table andpositioned below the discharge of said tax stamping and metering means,means communicating between the discharge of said tax stamping andmetering means and said conveyor means to direct a carton of cigarettepackages moved by the force of gravity during passage from the dischargeof said cigarette package tax stamping and metering means to one endportion of said conveyor means, said conveyor means being positionedrelative to said cigarette package tax stamping and metering means to inoperation deliver cartons of stamped cigarette packages to the other endportion of said conveyor means near the inlet of said tax stamping andmetering means, and said apparatus being constructed and adapted toreceive cartons of cigarette packages at the inlet of said tax stampingand metering means, tax stamp the cigarette packages in the cartons,deliver the resulting cartons of stamped cigarette packages to saidconveyor means via said means communicating between said tax stampingand metering means and said conveyor means and deliver the cartons viasaid conveyor means to a point near the inlet of said tax stamping andmetering means.

5. A cigarette package tax stamping and handling apparatus comprising,in combination, a table having a generally flat top and supported by aplurality of legs, cigarette package tax stamping and metering meansmounted on said table, a discharge track on said table on the end ofsaid cigarette package tax stamping and metering means, a first conveyorbelt pulley with said table, a second conveyor belt pulley with saidtable and spaced from said first conveyor belt pulley, a conveyor beltrotatably mounted on said conveyor belt pulleys, drive means rotatingsaid conveyor belt pulleys and moving said conveyor belt, guide meanswith said table and positioned adjacent said conveyor 'belt to preventdislodgement of an article thereon, means communicating between saiddischarge track for said cigarette package tax stamping and meteringmeans and said conveyor belt to direct a carton of cigarette packagesfrom said discharge track to said conveyor belt, means at the side ofsaid table to receive a case of cartons of cigarettes, additional meansat the side of said table to receive an empty case to be filled withcartons of stamped cigarettes, said apparatus being constructed andadapted so that a case of cartons of cigarettes can be placed on saidreceiving means at one side of said table and fed to said cigarette taxstamping and metering means therefrom whereupon said cartons ofcigarettes will exit therefrom onto said discharge track and be directedto said conveyor belt to be conveyed thereby to the means of theapparatus which receives said empty case for packing said stampedcartons of cigarettes therein.

6. A cigarette package tax stamping and handling apparatus comprising,in combination, a table, cigarette package tax stamping and meteringmeans mounted on sad table, conveyor means carried by said table andhaving one end positioned near the discharge of said tax stamping andmetering means, means communicating between the discharge of said taxstamping and metering means and said conveyor means constructed andadapted to direct a carton of cigarette packages from the discharge ofsaid cigarette package tax stamping and metering means to said one endportion of said conveyor means, said conveyor means being positionedrelative to said cigarette package tax stamping and metering means to inoperation receive cartons of stamped cigarette packages therefrom anddeliver same to the other end portion of said conveyor means near theinlet of said tax stamping and metering means, said apparatus beingconstructed and adapted to receive cartons of cigarette packages at theinlet of said tax stamping and metering means, tax stamp the cigarettepackages in said cartons, deliver the resulting cartons of stampedcigarette packages to said conveyor means and convey same to a pointnear the inlet of said tax stamping and metering means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,036,399 Witt Aug. 20, 1912 1,519,154 Mitton Dec. 16, 1924 2,893,188Cook July 7, 1959

